Ooh, I do like an evening spent under canvas. But not camping (are you mad?) or even glamping (should ever two wordsnot be mashed together glamour and camping are those words!), but a party under canvas in a Scandinavian tipi tent is another thing entirely. It’s thoroughly cool for a start.

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Gleaming dance floors, fur throws, open fires, fabulous decor… and not a camping stove in site. This is the life!

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This afternoon we talk to the lovely Laura and Jay or Brides Up North Featured Supplier TotallyTipi about how you can make your wedding celebration stand out from the crowd. With images by John Steel Photography and LMX Creative.

TotallyTipi Ltd was born in 2011 having been at a wedding in a two-tipi setup two years earlier. We fell in love with them immediately and thought more people should benefit from their beauty. Some research showed there was just one company in the region so we felt there was space in the market for us to set up – and here we are! Founders Jay and Laura are both from creative backgrounds, Jay in media and events and Laura in design.

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Tell Brides Up North about the service that you offer?

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TotallyTipi’s focus is on providing giant tipi ‘kata’ tents for weddings and events. But that’s not all. Everyone has their own personal idea of what makes a perfect event and we like to help make it a one-off in whatever way we can. This can be help in choosing the right location or connecting a client with others in the wedding industry who can, for instance, theme and dress the tents or offer a load of finishing touches for hire so they can explore their creative side and dress the tents themselves.

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Generally speaking we get two ‘types’ of client. Those who love the tents and work everything out around the tents (such as the venue) and those who have their venue but are undecided on whether to hire teepees or a marquee.

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Tell Brides Up North about your teepees?

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Warming, cosy, rustic or formal, the teepees are very adaptable and so beautiful that they can look stunning even with minimal decor. Having a wedding or reception inside a tipi will ensure people remember it for a long time.

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Inside a tipi there is a feeling of fusing the natural world outside, with stylish and comfortable surroundings inside, at a location that could be right in your back yard (literally!) or in the middle of sweeping countryside.

Multiple teepees are connected using special methods to make event spaces as small or large as a client dictates. Each one is just over 10m in diameter and is supported by nine solid wooden poles measuring over eight metres in length! The trees used for the tipi poles are specially grown in Sweden for strength and flexibility and are typically 100 years old when felled- very strong!

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The fabric is waterproof yet breathable so you don’t get condensation drips and it traps in a surprising amount of heat!

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This type of tipi is also describes as a ‘Giant Hat’ as all of the sides can be propped up so one tipi on its own looks just like a witches hat. This technique of having the sides raised really can bring the outside in – particularly wonderful on a warm summer’s eve…

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Furthermore, one of the unique aspects of a tipi is the ability to have a real indoor fire thanks to its conical design. It provides heat as well as a warming atmosphere and smoke flaps at the tip of the tipi act as the chimney .

TotallyTipi are a small, friendly, experienced company based in South Yorkshire, run by partners (in business and life!) Jay and Laura. Being a small company we take pride in every detail of our events and offer a very personal touch to our brides and grooms. Our team has experience of several hundred tipi set-ups so our couples can be assured of our quality.

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Because we are dedicated to creating perfect events, we manage our workload to ensure that each customer gets enough of our time so every event is planned and delivered with minimum hassle and to the highest standards of customer service.

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We are also soon unveil our beautiful bespoke TotallyTipi wooden tables and dance floor for 2013. These will be very unique and not like anything else available to hire. We are very excited about these! Watch this space.

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With TotallyTipi, what you see is what you get. There are no hidden extras – and we give our couples full scope to make an event their own or provide the complete arrive-and-it’s-all-done-for-you service.

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Are teepees good for winter as well as summer weddings?

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This is a question we are often asked and the answer is yes!

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The giant tipi design is inspired by the traditional teepees lived in by the Sami people of Lapland – so they’re built to withstand the weather and contain warmth. There is a lot of skill involved in joining the teepees so that they are fully weather-proof. This is where our team’s vast experience is invaluable. Our Operations Director brings with him the wealth of knowledge gained from several hundred tipi and marquee set-ups so we are confident that we can handle whatever the weather throws at us!

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Plus there’s our secret weapon – the indirect space heater. This blasts warm, fume-free air to keep you toasty all day long.

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Tell Brides Up North about the Snowflakes and Schnapps event (pictured)?

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This was a collaboration between TotallyTipi, Chilled Events and Horti-Couture at Thwaites Mill to provide a pop-up Christmas party venue in Leeds. Thwaites Mill is just 2 miles from the city centre and is a gorgeous hidden gem. The teepees looked stunning against the backdrop of trees and the beautiful old buildings at the mill.

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We wanted to show that the tents are good for the winter months and have them out and about rather than hanging about in their bags!

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As Christmas events are an obvious choice, we worked with Chilled Events who brought in the clients.

The events were a hit and despite it being -3c outside, we had to turn the heating down! We’re certainly hoping to do more in 2013.

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What extras are available for a couple hiring a tipi?

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In order to help make our events as bespoke required, we don’t have a ‘set list’ of accessories for hire; we have access to a constantly evolving, HUGE list of accessories, furniture, fabrics and decor that can be hired to furnish the teepees. From the smallest rustic vase to the most twinkling grand chandelier, we can help!

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We can also bring the flames outdoors with our recycled Indian fire bowls which have optional hanging bowls for mulled wine or a chilli and our festoon-lit walkway (pictured) adds a real hit of glamour on approach to the tipi.

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Where are you located and can you travel?

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We’re based in South Yorkshire, S75 between Barnsley and Wakefield but travel nationwide across England, Scotland and Wales. It’s a great spot because Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester are all a hop, skip and a jump away with easy access to the M1 and A1.

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Can you give Brides Up North an idea on price?

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Most events for 100 people work out at around £4,000 including lighting, tables, chairs, dance floor and the fire. Numbers of 100 – 150 guests require a third tipi which adds an average of £2,000 to the price by the time you’ve also accounted for the additional flooring and lighting.